Unconventional Musical on Palace of Arts Programme

"Budapest’s Palace of Arts will start the new year with a performance of an unconventional musical: Jason Robert Brown’s “The Last Five Years”.

The one-act musical – the first ever performed at the Palace of Arts – explores the five-year relationship between Jamie, an up-and-coming novelist, and Cathy, a struggling actress. Unlike most musicals, almost all of the songs are presented as soliloquies. In another break with traditional storytelling, Cathy’s story is told from end to beginning while Jamie’s is told from start to finish.

The musical premiered in 2001, in Skokie, Illinois. It was performed off-Broadway in 2002. Since then, it has been stage in Germany, London, Melbourne, Greece and Mexico.

In the Palace of Art’s production of the musical, the lead roles will be sung by Andrea Malek and Iván Kamarás. The production will be directed by György Böhm, and the orchestra will be directed by Miklós Malek. Set and costume design is by Erzsébet Túri.

Deputy director of the Palace of Arts András Csonka said “The Last Five Years” would not be the last musical performed at the venue. The Palace of Arts aims to organise more performances of other important pieces in the genre.

“The Last Five Years” will premiere in Budapest at 20:00 on Friday, January 5, 2007. Performances will follow on January 6 and 7."